In the world of high-profile confrontations, the arenas of wrestling and boxing have often served as unconventional stages for settling disputes. While the upcoming face-off between YouTuber KSI and boxer Tommy Fury grabs attention, the peculiar notion of a brawl between tech moguls Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk continues to evolve.
Back in June, the individual behind Twitter’s transformation into the less memorable ‘X’ declared a willingness for a “cage match” against Zuckerberg, the mastermind behind Meta, Facebook’s parent company. It’s worth noting that Zuckerberg had also earned accolades in his debut Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament held in May.
To the surprise of many, Zuckerberg seemed to embrace the idea, showcasing the tweet on his Instagram account along with the words, “send me location”.
Despite the passing of over a month, the proposed cage match remains just that – a proposal. On a recent Sunday, Zuckerberg, citing a lack of seriousness from Musk’s side, announced his decision to “move on” from the idea.
Utilizing his new platform, Threads, the billionaire expounded, “I proposed an actual date. [UFC president] Dana White offered to legitimize this as a charity competition. Elon neither specifies a time nor suggests a practise session in my garden before claiming that surgery is required. If Elon ever decides to approach this with genuine intent and solidify an official event date, he’s aware of how to contact me.”
He added, “In the absence of such commitment, I’m redirecting my focus towards competitors who approach the sport with earnestness.”
Musk, in characteristic succinctness, promptly responded by labeling Zuckerberg a “chicken” on the ‘X’ platform – a remark many found rather immature.
Interestingly, it appears that Zuckerberg’s assumption about Musk’s eagerness to face him at his own dwelling was not far off the mark. Musk, in a subsequent post, teasingly wrote, “Knock, knock… challenge accepted… open the door @finkd. I brought the bags since I figured you would want some tea.”
Further cementing his intention to engage, Musk indicated, “For the Tesla FSD test drive in Palo Alto tonight, I will request the car to navigate to [Zuckerberg’s] residence. Additionally, we will evaluate the latest X livestream video capabilities, allowing viewers to track our unfolding venture in real-time. If, by chance, Zuck does indeed respond at his door, the confrontation is on!”
However, Musk’s luck did not hold, as Zuckerberg was absent, confirmed by a spokesperson who informed The Verge, “Mark is currently traveling and is not in Palo Alto. Furthermore, Mark is deeply committed to the seriousness of this sport and will not entertain any confrontation with an unannounced visitor at his home.”
Critics among the ‘X’ user base quickly raised concerns regarding the legality of livestreaming a journey to a private property, citing the platform’s own policy against sharing private information without consent or resorting to threats of information exposure.
Interestingly, this situation raises questions of hypocrisy, given Musk’s past suspension of an account named ‘ElonJet’, which tracked the entrepreneur’s private jet using publicly available data. In a tweet back in December, Musk stated that “any account revealing real-time location details without permission will be suspended, as it poses a threat to physical safety.”
The individual behind the account, now tweeting information with a 24-hour delay at @ElonJetNextDay, couldn’t help but observe the inconsistency.
As of now, the speculative ‘cage fight’ continues to remain uncertain, awaiting the resolution of these complex interpersonal dynamics.
